making me try to change some other metals a few
times, each time producing the same stuff, Prof. Loske told us how
volcarnothium, better known as aegis steel, is perhaps the toughest
metal ever found and used by Alkalians. Pure veins of it are
extremely rare, and although one could just transmute some other
substance into it if they knew how, aegis steel, like other rare
minerals such as gold and diamond, are illegal to transmute except
through specialized miners from Minari or Riaquen.”
“ Huh, and you made a bunch
of it without even knowing what you were doing? Now that’s just
weird.”
“ Hah, you know what else
was weird?” Rose remarks. “During our experiments, James Iroshen
would keep coming over and checking on me, to see if I was doing
alright and if I needed help, and every time I would assure him I
was fine before he went off again. I suppose you were right about
one thing, Sean. James may have taken an interest to me
already.”
“ Ah hah, you see? I did
warn you!” They continue jogging the rest of the laps with the
other freshmen before resuming conservation as they make their way
to the center of the arena, where there are some intermediate
students again standing near Prof. Serpanz. Seeing them, Matt asks,
“So, what’s going on today? Didn’t we already do that inauguration
thing yesterday?”
“ Ah, they’re just here to
give us visual examples,” Sean assures him and Rose. As they sit
down on the floor with the other freshmen, he adds, “The professor
shall explain.”
Once all the freshmen gathered before
her on the floor, Serpanz begins a lecture, her tone serious and
resolute as she paces back-and-forth before them like a drilling
instructor. “Today, I will enlighten you all upon the basic
techniques and abilities of battle morphs with some demonstrations
from the volunteers behind me. It is important to know these
things, as not only are they common abilities for many Alkalians,
but you will also be able to recognize the common kinds of battle
morphs and know what they are capable of, which is an important
factor in any battle. Now, before we begin, are there any
questions?” Waiting for any hands to fly up, she sees one that does
and calls on it with a bit of distaste. “Yes, Sean?”
Granted permission to speak, Sean
asks, “Okay, so, is there really any point for me to sit and listen
to this whole presentation, when I’ve already sat through it last
year? And, let’s say there are people here who already have a
concept of the basics, like Matt and Rose. Do they have to listen
to this, too?”
“ Yes, of course you do,”
Serpanz sternly replies. “Even if you think you know all about the
basics, it wouldn’t hurt to rejog your memory on them. Or, if you
preferred, you could rejog the three laps you did for warm-up. Plus
seventeen more.”
While the other freshmen, including
Matt and Rose, act disgruntled at the thought of running some more,
Sean chirps up, “Heh, that’s fine with me! I’ll go ahead and run
those twenty laps, instead of sitting through this boring procedure
again.”
All the freshmen, and even
the intermediates, turn to him in surprise, and Serpanz remarks,
“Oh, really? You think my presentations are boring?” A moment goes
by with her staring at him in thought, unnerving the freshmen
around him, before she suggests with a smirk, “Well, Sean, how
would you like to, instead of watching this demonstration, participate in it? You
can do that, or it’s fifty laps around the arena. I’ll let you
decide.”
There are either gasps or snickers
from among the other students as Sean ponders what he had gotten
himself into before he says, “Well, since you asked so nicely, I
guess it would be a privilege to be in the demonstration!” He
stands up and walks over to Serpanz’s side, bearing a jolly old
grin.
Trying to ignore his display of good
humor, Serpanz addresses the freshmen and continues, “Now, the
first thing we’ll talk about are the
times, each time producing the same stuff, Prof. Loske told us how
volcarnothium, better known as aegis steel, is perhaps the toughest
metal ever found and used by Alkalians. Pure veins of it are
extremely rare, and although one could just transmute some other
substance into it if they knew how, aegis steel, like other rare
minerals such as gold and diamond, are illegal to transmute except
through specialized miners from Minari or Riaquen.”
“ Huh, and you made a bunch
of it without even knowing what you were doing? Now that’s just
weird.”
“ Hah, you know what else
was weird?” Rose remarks. “During our experiments, James Iroshen
would keep coming over and checking on me, to see if I was doing
alright and if I needed help, and every time I would assure him I
was fine before he went off again. I suppose you were right about
one thing, Sean. James may have taken an interest to me
already.”
“ Ah hah, you see? I did
warn you!” They continue jogging the rest of the laps with the
other freshmen before resuming conservation as they make their way
to the center of the arena, where there are some intermediate
students again standing near Prof. Serpanz. Seeing them, Matt asks,
“So, what’s going on today? Didn’t we already do that inauguration
thing yesterday?”
“ Ah, they’re just here to
give us visual examples,” Sean assures him and Rose. As they sit
down on the floor with the other freshmen, he adds, “The professor
shall explain.”
Once all the freshmen gathered before
her on the floor, Serpanz begins a lecture, her tone serious and
resolute as she paces back-and-forth before them like a drilling
instructor. “Today, I will enlighten you all upon the basic
techniques and abilities of battle morphs with some demonstrations
from the volunteers behind me. It is important to know these
things, as not only are they common abilities for many Alkalians,
but you will also be able to recognize the common kinds of battle
morphs and know what they are capable of, which is an important
factor in any battle. Now, before we begin, are there any
questions?” Waiting for any hands to fly up, she sees one that does
and calls on it with a bit of distaste. “Yes, Sean?”
Granted permission to speak, Sean
asks, “Okay, so, is there really any point for me to sit and listen
to this whole presentation, when I’ve already sat through it last
year? And, let’s say there are people here who already have a
concept of the basics, like Matt and Rose. Do they have to listen
to this, too?”
“ Yes, of course you do,”
Serpanz sternly replies. “Even if you think you know all about the
basics, it wouldn’t hurt to rejog your memory on them. Or, if you
preferred, you could rejog the three laps you did for warm-up. Plus
seventeen more.”
While the other freshmen, including
Matt and Rose, act disgruntled at the thought of running some more,
Sean chirps up, “Heh, that’s fine with me! I’ll go ahead and run
those twenty laps, instead of sitting through this boring procedure
again.”
All the freshmen, and even
the intermediates, turn to him in surprise, and Serpanz remarks,
“Oh, really? You think my presentations are boring?” A moment goes
by with her staring at him in thought, unnerving the freshmen
around him, before she suggests with a smirk, “Well, Sean, how
would you like to, instead of watching this demonstration, participate in it? You
can do that, or it’s fifty laps around the arena. I’ll let you
decide.”
There are either gasps or snickers
from among the other students as Sean ponders what he had gotten
himself into before he says, “Well, since you asked so nicely, I
guess it would be a privilege to be in the demonstration!” He
stands up and walks over to Serpanz’s side, bearing a jolly old
grin.
Trying to ignore his display of good
humor, Serpanz addresses the freshmen and continues, “Now, the
first thing we’ll talk about are the
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